Slicing machine



June 21, 1938.

C. F. M. VAN BERK 'SLICING MACHINE Filed July 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG-l.

INVENTOR:

L E K R E B m V M F 5. L E N R o C June 21, 1938.

c. F. M. VAN BERKEL SLICING MACHINE Filed July 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR:

CORNELIS F. M. VAN BERKEL BY I iflw. ATT'YS.

iii

Patented June 21, 1938 UNITED STATES 2,121,351 smcmo MACHINE Cornelis F. M. van Berkel, Wassenaar, Netherlands, assignor to U. S. Slicing Machine Company, La Porte, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application July 2, 1934, Serial No. 733,406 In Great Britain July 6, 1933' 11 Claims.

This invention relates to slicing machines, and particularly to that type of slicing machines em ploying a gauge plate against which a food pusher forces the substance to determine the thickness of a slice.

In machines of the above type it is usually necessary to provide in association with the gauge plate, a cover plate which is concentrically arranged with respect to the knife, the cover plate having its active surface arranged substantially in the cutting plane. In operating these devices the substance to be sliced is first pressed against the gauge plate so that when the carriage is moved toward the knife, a slice will be cut from the substance, the pressure normally, exerted on the substance being transferred from the gauge plate to thecover plate. Many food slicing machines are provided with spring means for normally urging the substance toward the gauge plate and toward the cutting plane. Instead of using the automatic feed arrangement, such as by the spring as just described, the substance may be pressed manually toward the gauge plate and the cutting plane of the machine. These above existing machines however are subject to the disadvantage that there is considerable friction between the substance and the cover plate which causes smearing and increases the efiort necessary to successfully operate the machine.

'An object of the present invention is to make provision whereby the above disadvantages will be obviated, and to provide simple and effective means to'prevent undue friction and smearing.

Another object is to provide a slicing machine with locking means to prevent movement of the substance in the feed direction during a predetermined portion of the slicing stroke, and for permitting movement of the substance toward feed direction when the carriage attains a predetermined position.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in efiect, a braking element to arrest movement of the substance in afeeding direction, whether or not the substance is moved toward the gauge plate, manually, by gravity, or automatically such 1 as by spring means, throughout a predetermined during the slicing operation and during return movement of the carriage, thereby eliminating the usual smearing of the knife.

" A further object of the invention is to provide locking means to permit or prevent movement of sition so long asthe food pusher is so positioned.

that the substance can be put against the gauge plate in readiness for a slicingstroke.

A still furtherobject of the invention is to provide locking means comprising the form of a clutch which is normally spring pressed into lock or brake engaging" position on a rod passing through a ring. 7

Numerous other objects and advantages will be apparentthroughout the progress of the following specification. 1

The accompanying drawings illustrate a selected embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. 1 is a .detail sectional elevation of a slicing machine and embodying the invention, certain parts being omitted for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 2 is a detail plan section of the device shown in Fig. 1. I p

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail view.

Fig. 4 is a detail elevational View showing one form of slicing machine whereby the substance is movedinto position by gravity.

Referring to the drawings, 4 designates a rotary knife with which there is arranged for cooperation therewith a gauge plate 5, the supporting means for the gauge plate being not shown as it is well known in the art.

The parts are all operatively arranged relative to a stationary base 6 having guide bars 1 theretable is adapted to be reciprocated along the bars by means of a handle 9. The substance supporting table may be corrugated as indicated at l0 and this substance supporting table comprises part of the carriage 8. A food pusher II is arranged inoperative position relative to the substance table and forms a part of a bracket I 2 which is slidably mounted on a guide rod I3 which extends across the carriage 8 in the line of feed.

40 on. A carriage 8 havinga substance support or The bracket l2 and its cooperating food plate ll may be continuously urged in the direction of feed by a long spring H! which is secured at its opposite ends l4a, to urge the food pusher in a predetermined position. This spring l4 passes further action of the spring l4.

around pulleys l5, l6 and I1 on the carriage 8.

This spring is not claimed per se herein, but is claimed in the application of Joseph Folk, Serial No. 7,325, filed February 20, 1935, said application being a division of an application of Joseph Folk, Serial No. 685,513, filed August 1'7, 1933, issued January 26, 1937, as Patent No. 2,068,980, the said Folk applications being assigned to applicants assignee.

A composite clutch ring 20 which may comprise two rings arranged close together, loosely embraces the rod l3. The ring 20 is mounted in the bracket l2 in such a manner that it is free to tilt slightly into locking engagement with the rod and when so tilted, locks the bracket l2 against movement along the rod 13 in one direction,-the direction of feed. The arrangement is such that the ring 20 cannot lock the bracket l2 against movement in the return direction. A small spring 2| continuously presses the ring to lock itself to the rod l3, and an unlocking device is provided for rendering the ring 20 inoperative as a lock-that is, for releasing its lock action-in opposition to the yielding pressure of the spring 2|.

The aforesaid unlocking device comprises a pin 22 which is loosely attached to the ring 2|] and is slidably mounted in the bracket I2. An arm 23 is connected by a link 24 to the pin 22 and is pivotally attached at one end to the sliding bracket I2. A rail 25 which extends across the carriage is connected to the carriage at its ends by short arms 26. This rail 25 has a depending arm 21 for rocking the rail into engagement with a roller 28 on the arm 23. A stationary cam-like member 29 is secured to a part of the base and is positioned in the path of a roller 30 which is mounted on the arm 21. The arrangement is such that when the carriage 8 occupies a position in which the roller 30 is clear of the cam member 29, the roller 30 will occupy its lowermost position as diagrammatically shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. When the'roller 30 is in its lowered position, the rail 25 will be free of the roller 28 and the clutch 20 will be free to exercise its locking action on the rod l3. When the carriage occupies a position in which the roller 30 is in engagement with the cam-like member 29, the rail 25 will engage the roller 28 and maintain it in depressed position causing the pin 22 to hold the clutch ring 20 unlocked.

The cam member 29 is shown fixed to the base 6 in a position immediately adjacent the gauge plate 5. However, the cam member 29 may be adjustably arranged in position and be free to be moved as desired for causing operation of the clutch. As shown, the clutch ring 20 is in unlocked position when the carriage is at the operators end of the machine. When in this latter position, with the clutch ring 20 unlocked, the

food pusher II will move toward the gauge plate under the action of the spring 14. As the carriage is moved forwardly, that is, away from the operator, the clutch-ring will lock and the bracket and food pusher will be prevented from being urged toward the cutting plane of the knife. Therefore, when the carriage 8 is at its starting position, the food'or substance pusher will be directly opposite the gauge plate, and the food pusher, through the urging action of the spring l4, will cause the substance to be moved against the gauge plate. As the carriage is advanced toward slicing positio n,"the roller 30 will leave the cam member 29 at which time the bracket and food pusher will be immediately locked against Therefore, as

cutting plane by gravity.

the carriage is being moved forward and. past the knife, the substance will not be advanced beyond the cutting plane of the knife. Therefore, the substance is prevented from pressing against the knife at the completion of the forward stroke of the carriage and during the return movement of the carriage. As there is no pressure exerted beyond the cutting edge of the knife, the usual cover plate on the knife may be dispensed with.

It is advantageous that the food pusher be locked during the loading of the machine, that is, when substance to be sliced is being arranged on the feed table. Therefore, means are provided for locking the food pusher when it is moved to its retracted position. The means may comprise a latch 40 which is pivotally attached at 4| to the bracket l2. This latch 40 cooperates with a recess 42 provided in the carriage 8, Fig. 3. The latch construction is so arranged that the latch will automatically engage the recess whenever the pusher plate is moved to its fully retracted position.

Means 43 may be provided to permit lubrication of the bracket I2 and the rod l3.

Instead of providing spring means for urging the food pusher toward the cutting plane of the knife, the food may be urged toward the cutting plane by a manual operation. subconsciously the operator will exert substantially the same pressure on the substance throughout the forward and return stroke of the carriage. However, this pressure is prevented from being applied at all times except when the substance is directly opposite the gauge .plate.

Also, the substance may be urged toward the In connection with the gravity feed, it may be advantageous to have the feed table and carriage inclined at an angle so that the normal tendency of the substance and the food pusher is to move by gravity toward the cutting plane of the knife. This latter construction is clearly shown in Fig. 4 in which the right hand side of the machine is considerably elevated so that the normal tendency of the substance .and the substance pusher will be to drop by gravity toward the cutting plane of the knife. In orderto permit even slices to be cut from the substance, it is advantageous that the knife be arranged in a plane perpendicular to the feeding direction of the substance. In Fig. 4 the base 6 has the carriage 8 inclined downwardly toward the gauge plate 5 and the knife 6. Therefore, the substance moving to the left, Fig. 4, by gravity, will be assisted in its movement by the weight means on the rod I3, the substance will move by gravity against the gauge plate 5. As the carriage is moved forwardly, that is, away from the operator, the roller 30 will move off the cam 29 and cause the locking device 20 to lock with the rod I 3. In this position the food pusher II will be locked in position, and the substance, being held by the food pusher II, will be prevented from moving in the feed direction. The substance is therefore locked during the cutting operation,

during the completion of the forward movement of the carriage, and during the return stroke of the carriage until the rod 25 is again rocked by reason of the roller 30 engaging the cam 29.

The invention. provides simple and effective means for preventing pressure from being exerted against the knife during the completion of the forward movement, and a substantial portion of the return movement, of the carriage. Therefore, undue friction is eliminated and all smearing of the knife is eliminated. Furthermore, the usual cover plate for the knife may be dispensed with. The invention is susceptible for operation whether the substance is moved toward the gauge plate by manual pressure, by gravity, or by spring pressure.

Changes may be made in the form, construc tion, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fairly fall within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A slicing machine comprising a gauge memher, a slicing knife, a carriage, said carriage and said slicing knife being relatively movable transversely whereby to bring the carriage alternately into alinement with the gauge member and the slicing knife, a substance feeder on the carriage movable forward toward the gauge member and slicing knife through a given range of feeding travel, means yieldingly urging the feeder forward, and locking means operable in any position of said feeder within said range of travel for preventing operation of said feeder by the urging means, said locking means comprising a bar on the carriage parallel to the path of travel of the feeder thereon, and a locking member secured to the feeder having a bore slidable along the bar, said member being tiltable to angularly displace the axis of said bore from the axis of the bar to engage the edges of the bore with the bar whereby to lock the locking member to the bar.

2. A slicing machine comprising a gauge member, a slicing knife, a carriage, said carriage and said slicing knife being relatively movable transversely whereby to bring the carriage alternately into alinement with the gauge member and with the slicing knife, a substance feeder mounted on the carriage, means yieldingly urging the substance feeder longitudinally forward toward the gauge member and slicing knife, locking means for preventing movement of the substance feeder longitudinally forward when the carriage. is alined with the slicing knife, and means operable when the carriage is alined with the gauge memher for disabling the locking means, said locking means comprising a bar on the carriage parallel to the path of travel of the feeder thereon, and a locking member secured to the feeder having a bore slidable along the bar, said member being tiltable to angularly displace the axis of said bore from the axis of the bar to engage the edges of the bore with the bar whereby to lock the locking member to the bar.

3. A slicing machine comprising a gauge member, a slicing knife, a carriage, said carriage and said slicing knife being relatively movable transversely whereby to bring the carriage alternately into alinement with the gauge member and the slicing knife, a substance feeder on the carriage movable forward toward the gauge member and slicing knife through a given range of feeding travel, means yieldingly urging the feeder forward, locking means operable in any position of said feeder within said range of travel for preventing operation of said feeder by the urging means, said locking means comprising a bar on the carriage parallel to the path of travel of the feeder thereon, and a locking member secured to the feeder having a bore slidable along the bar, and means for tilting said member to angularly displace the axis of said bore from the.axis of the bar to engage the edges of the bore with the bar whereby to lock the locking member to the bar, and means to control the action of said tilting means comprising an operating mechanism engageable with the member, and means controlled by the relative transverse movement between the carriage and slicing knife for operating said mechanism.

4. A slicing machine comprising a frame, a rotary slicing knife, a gauge plate arranged to one side of the knife substantially in the cutting plane thereof, a carriage reciprocable across the face of the gauge plate and the face of the knife, a substance feeder mounted on the carriage for movement toward the cutting plane, a spring resiliently urging the feeder toward the cutting plane, and locking means for locking the feeder from movement Joy said spring, said locking means comprising a bar on the carriage parallel to the path of travel of the feeder thereon, and a locking member secured to the feeder having a bore slidable along the bar, said member being tiltable to angularly displace the axis of said bore from the axis of the bar to engage the edges of the bore with the bar whereby to lock the locking member to the bar.

, 5. A slicing machine comprising a frame, a rotary slicing knife, a gauge plate arranged to oneside of the knife substantially in the cutting plane thereof, a carriage reciprocable across the face of the gauge plate and the face of the knife, a. substance feeder mounted on thecarriage for movement toward the cutting plane, a spring resiliently urging the feeder toward the cutting plane, and locking means for locking the feeder from movement by said spring, said locking means comprising a bar on the carriage parallel to the path of travel of the feeder thereon, and a locking member secured to the feeder having a bore slidable along the bar, and means for tilting said member to angularly displace the axis of said bore from the axis of the bar to engage the edges of the bore with the bar whereby to lock the locking member to the bar, and means to control the action of said tilting means comprising an operating mechanism engageable with the member, and means controlled by the movement of the carriage for operating said mechanism.

6. A slicing machine comprising a frame, a rotary slicing knife, a gauge plate arranged to one side of the knife substantially in the cutting plane thereof, a carriage reciprocable across the face of the gauge plate and the face of the knife, a substance feeder mounted'on the carriage for movement toward the cutting plane, a spring resiliently urging the feeder toward the cutting plane, and locking means for locking the feeder from movement by said spring, said locking means comprising a bar on the carriage parallel to the path of travel of the feeder thereon, and a locking member secured to the feeder having a bore slidable along the bar, and means for tilting said member to angularly displace the axis of said bore from the axis of the bar toengage the edges of the bore with the bar whereby to lock the locking member to the bar, and means to control the action of said tilting means comprising a linkage connected to the member, a rail on the carriage parallel to the bar'engageable with said linkage in any position of the feeder within its path of travel on. the carriage, said rail being movable to cause the linkage to operate said member, and means for moving the rail comprising cooperating abutments on the carriage and on the frame of the machine brought into engagement by the movement of the carriage.

'7. A slicing machine comprising a gauge member and a slicing knife forming a cutting plane, a carriage, said carriage and said slicing knife being relatively movable transversely whereby to bring the carriage alternately into alinement with the gauge member and the slicing knife, a substance feeder on the carriage movable toward and away from the cutting plane through a given range of feeding travel, means yieldingly urging the feeder toward the cutting plane, locking means operable in any position of said feeder within said range of travel for preventing operation of said feeder toward the cutting plane by the urging means, and means for rendering said locking means ineffective to lock the feeder from movement away from said cutting plane while the locking means remains effective to prevent movement of the feeder toward the cutting plane.

8. A slicing machine comprising a gauge member and a slicing knife forming a cutting plane, a carriage, said carriage and said slicing knife being relatively movable transversely whereby to bring the carriage alternately into alinement with the gauge member and with the slicing knife, a substance feeder mounted on the carriage, means yieldingly urging the substance feeder longitudinally forward toward the cutting plane, locking means for preventing movement of the substance feeder longitudinally forward when the carriage is alined with the slicing knife, means for rendering said locking means ineffective to prevent movement of the feeder rearwardly away from the cutting plane while the locking means is effective to prevent forward movement of the feeder toward the cutting plane, and means operable when the carriage is alined with the gauge member for disabling the locking means whereby to permit feeder movement in either forward or rearward direction.

9. A slicing machine comprising a gauge member and a slicing knife forming a cutting plane, a carriage having its operating surface sloping downwardly and forwardly toward the cutting plane, said carriage and said slicing knife being relatively movable transversely whereby to bring the carriage alternately into alinement with the gauge member and the slicing knife, a substance feeder on the carriage movable toward and away from the cutting plane through a given range of feeding travel, gravity means yieldingly urging the feeder toward the cutting plane, locking means operable in any position of said feeder within said range of travel for preventing operation of the feeder toward the cutting plane by the gravity means, and means for rendering said locking means ineffective to lock the feeder from movement away from said cutting plane while the locking means remains effective to prevent movement of the feeder toward the cutting plane.

10. A slicing machine comprising a gauge member and a slicing knife forming a cutting plane, a carriage having its operating surface sloping downwardly and forwardly toward the cutting plane, said carriage and said slicing knife being relatively movable transversely whereby to bring the carriage alternately into alinement with the gauge member and with the slicing knife, a substance feeder mounted for movement on said carriage, gravity means for yieldingly urging the substance feeder longitudinally forward toward the cutting plane, locking means for preventing movement of the substance feeder longitudinally forward when the carriage is alined with the slicing knife, means for rendering said locking means ineffective to prevent movement of the feeder rearwardly away from the cutting plane while the locking means is effective to prevent forward movement of the feeder toward the cutting plane, and means operable when the carriage is alined with the gauge member for disabling the locking means whereby to permit feeder movement in either forward or rearward direction.

11. A slicing machine comprising a gauge member, a slicing knife, a carriage, said carriage and said slicing knife being relatively movable transversely whereby to bring the carriage alternately into alinement with the gauge member and the slicing knife, a substance feeder on the carriage movable forward toward the gauge member and slicing knife through a given range of feeding travel, a spring resiliently urging the feeder forward, and locking means operable in any position of the feeder within said range of travel for preventing operation of the feeder by the spring, said spring being elongated along the path of travel of the feeder, and being doubled upon itself a plurality of times whereby to provide a plurality of operative lengths to provide maxitions of the feeder within its path of travel.

CORNELIS F. M. VAN BERKEL. 

